Coffs Coast RFS crews ready for the Vic call

COFFS COAST Rural Fire Service crews remain on standby to be sent to fire zones in NSW and Victoria.

Acting RFS Mid North Coast team manager, Inspector Paul Norton, said that at this stage, no local crews had been tasked to head south, but they stood ready to help the fire effort in both NSW and interstate.

Mr Norton said it was unlikely the Coffs Harbour area would experience a devastating blaze on the scale of those in Victoria.

“We get our weather patterns differently. We get rain which takes the edge of the bushfire threat,” Mr Norton said. “Also, our vegetation is thicker, so a fire doesn't move as fast.

“But if we have a day of 44 degree heat with nine per cent humidity and 120km/h winds from the west, a fire could go from Ulong to the coast in a couple of hours, but it's unlikely because of our wet weather pattern.”

Mr Norton reminded local landowners to resist complacency about the bushfire threat, even though there were no fires burning here.

“Permits are still required for the lighting of fires until the end of March,” he said.